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Yukimasa Palace
'Yukimasa Palace '(Japanese: 雪柾宮殿, Yukimasa Kyūden) is the royal palace of the Yukida Dynasty and the seat of the Ezoan government. It is situated in Sapporo, the capital of Ezo, and it is enclosed by a defensive perimeter, a moat and a walled forest, which can all be entered through numerous gates. Entrance The palace is entered via the Great Palace Gate (大居門, daikyōmon), which leads to the Royal Courtyard, which is indirectly adjacent to the walled forest. This court leads to 3 buildings: the Royal Coach house, where the vehicles of the royal family are stored; the Shinsengumi Office, from where the secret police is governed; and the Guardian Gate (二天門, Nitenmon), which leads to a set of stairs that are built on the moat. This stairs lead to another gate, the Warriors Gate or Soldiers Gate (戦士門, Senshimon). This gate leads to the defensive perimeter, where artillery, and later on anti-air weaponry, is stationed. However, this entrance is off-limits for everyone who is not a palatial soldier. May one proceed straight ahead after entering the Soldiers Gate, they will encounter another set of stairs, which lead to the Royal Gate or Kings Gate (王門, Ōmon). This gate leads to the Inner Court, via the Reception Hall. Inner Court The Inner Court is entered through the Reception Hall, which is a large building with a main corridor, as well as several tatami rooms. There are three exits in this building, one to the left, one to the right and one straight ahead. The one to the left will lead to several buildings. When following the path ahead, one will see the Royal Dojo to the right, where members of the royal family practise their combat skills, and the Royal Arena to the left, where equestrian skills may be trained. When proceding, one encounters the Royal Guesthouse to his left. This is a large building containing several chambers where guests of the royal family may stay. Little further, there is a torii gate to the right that leads to the Royal Pavilion, which lies on the moat encompassing the palace, and where members of the royal family and their guests can drink tea, and enjoy entertainment of geisha. Musical entertainment is enjoyed in the Royal Music Hall, which lies on the other side of the main path. May one continue following the path, they encounter the Royal Bathhouse to their right, which is a four storey building with a number of baths, as well as chambers where fine grooming is carried out, such as washing the hair, massages, barbering, among others. At the end of the path lies the Clan Estate, where matters of the family are situated, along with harboring other members of the royal family. Going back to the Reception Hall, one may also choose to go right. Following the path that lies ahead, one discovers the Magistrate at their left, where official matters are situated. It is the actual seat of the government, and the only place where the Ezoan law can be altered. Continuing the path one sees the Audience Hall to their right, which is the hall where one may express his wishes and sentiments to the King or a prince. A little further ahead lies the Royal Gallery to the right, which is where several pieces of art or other things like armors and swords, and even inventions of members of the royal family, are kept. Nearing conclusion of the path, it is covered by numerous torii gates, set in a row. At the end of this row lies the Royal Banquet Hall, where big celebrations are held. Once again in the Reception Hall, but this time choosing the path ahead, foot is set upon a long and low stone bridge, only elevated above the water in the moat 1 metre, which is adorned by a great, 6-pillared torii gate that appears to float on the water. Beyond the gate there are to bell towers, which contain enormous automated carillons, standing alone, left and right from the bridge, in the water. Concluding the bridge is a last set of stairs which lead to the main entrance of the main keep. Main keep Ground floor The Entrance Hall is a large black and white marble hall, with a fountain in its centre. At each side there are three doors, one leading upstairs, one to the basement, and one leading outside: the bridge to the residence to the east, and the bridge to the terrace to the west. Ahead lies a big door, which leads to the Throne Room. Above the main entrance there is a balcony overlooking the hall, and at the sides of the hall, elevated over the sets of doors, are big ledges adorned with pillars and statues of heavenly guardians and ancestors. The Throne Room is a large dark pillared hall, with a path in the middle, adorned with a dragon motive made of gold and gemstones, which leads to the elevated royal chrysanthemum throne. The room is so dark that one cannot see the ceiling of it, nor the walls behind the numerous black pillars. Basement In the basement is a stone vault leading towards ceveral wine cellars and food storages, as well as a misterious cistern, which contains a magical spring that delivers endless water. Additionally, there is a large chamber for playing shogi (Japanese chess), which consists of a giant chessboard, adorned with huge chess statues, made of obsidian and white jade, upon which are cast magical charms, to make them move on their own, and actually fight each other. There are two balconies, one on each side of the chess board, from which the players control the statues, commanding them to move. around the chess board is an abyss, in which the debris of the wrecked statues is cast. First floor On the first floor there is a long hallway, with doors to several rooms, such as the library, where the royal family's books are kept. Also there is a study, where research or other paperwork may be done. Also, is a family archive, where records of many matters concerning the family or the country are kept. Second floor The stairs leading to this floor enter a wide hall right through the centre of it, surrounded by ornate fences. This hall has a large panoramic window overlooking the city. On the opposite side is the entrance to the laboratory. The laboratory is where members of the royal family can execute more practical matters of their studies, and it is the birthplace of many of Kenji's inventions. At one side of the hall one can proceed to the waiting room, where high class members can wait until they may discuss important matters in the war room or the diplomacy room. At the other side one goes to a staircase, leading to the third floor. Third floor This floor is home to the majestic war room, which is a big chamber of about 10 metres high, with 3 mezzanines covering the entire wall. In the middle of the room is a big table with a map of Japan, surrounded by chairs. At the end of the room is a door leading to an office, where the king resides before having a discussion in the war room. Fourth floor Entering the fourth floor, which lies beneath the large dominant roof of the keep, as well as under the octagonal blue tower on top of it, one enters a hall which leads to several rooms. On opposite sides, it leads to balconies on the gables of the large roof, which are covered by a full width lattice window, which makes the balcony barely visible from the outside, at least from a fair distance. The hall also leads to a gallery, where armours, swords and other weaponry, collected by the royal family, are kept. Walking past a fire place in the main hall, one enters the Clock Room. This is a room with chairs and tables, meant for relaxing. It's namesake is the large complex clock adorning the bay window looking over the city, which is the first clock made with a yukidan clockwork mechanism. It is also the trigger of the carillons in the bell towers on the moat. As the room is located inside the blue tower on the building's roof, it is unusually high, and made in such way that one cannot see the ceiling of the room, which causes the effect of seeming roofless in the night. Adjacent to the clock room are two opium room, on opposing sides, which connect to the clock room without a door. In the middle of this floor, there is a spiral staircase, which leads to the fifth floor. Fifth floor The fifth floor lies on top of the blue tower, which in turn lies on top of the dominant roof of the palace, and is home to an octagonal garden. This room is an indoor space, but is connected to the outside by walls made of latticework, which lead to the outer ring of the garden, which is a balcony. The staircase in the middle of the chamber continues to rise, and leads to the sixth and final floor. Sixth floor This floor consists of a sole room, the diplomacy room, which is a rectangular small room appearing to be lying on top of the octagonal roof of the garden. This room is a tatami room, where matters may be discussed personally with the king, and it has a balcony which grants a look over the entire city. Royal residence East of the main keep lies the royal residence, which is connected to the keep by means of a bridge. It is the building where the king and his brother reside, and contains bedrooms, a music room and a dining room. Together with the royal garden, which is south of the main keep, and the royal terrace, which is west of the keep and connected to it by a bridge as well, it forms a horseshoe-like structure around the keep. The royal garden can be entered via the residence, and contains fine japanese gardening aspects, such as bridges, small moats and sakura trees. Following this garden one a small onsen, which was originally on the mountain from which the base of the palace is carved. When turning right by the discovery of this garden, one encounters the palatial terrace, which is on top of the servants dormitories. Sometimes celebrations are held on this terrace, but mostly it serves for a relaxation area for the royal family as well as the servants. The terrace is connected to the keep by means of a bridge. Royal Guard The Royal Guard is the unit of guardsmen patrolling through the palatial complex. The guardsmen are outfitted with a traditional uniform, consisting of some sort of sokutai, with a row of buttons running from collar to belt, and two elaborate shoulder caps. Underneath it a military gi is worn, with long sleeves decorated with patterns in gold. Below the belt is a typical Ezoan hakama-and-kyahan combination, the kyahan varying with the rank or function of the guardsman. Different is the fact that a longer skirt is suspended from the rear of the belt. The hairstyle for guardsmen is the benpatsu, which has a long braided queue on the back of the head, instead of a topknot. This haircut is combined with the Shokuinbo, or official's hat, which is a derivative of the mandarin hat.